Bathrooms are not designed in vacuums. Often they’re designed by people wearing pants. Join us for an exploration of the interrelated cultural and social issues at play in designing the components of restrooms and the treatment of excrement.

Cornell’s Waste Management Institute has a great guide for composting dead cows and diseased animals. For some reason I find myself recommending this guide quite often as a response to questions after we talk. It has some hilarious, but very practical diagrams to follow.
Natural Rendering

Molly and Mat will examine why conventional bathrooms
are disgusting and hazardous to both you and the environment. We will share our vision and prototypes for bathrooms that won’t kill you or your groundwater. This is aa great opportunity to see the toilets, sinks and urinals of the future. An example of one of our bathrooms will be on display for viewing and discussion.

If the pipes break, it can take anywhere from a month to a year to completely restore the underground piped infrastructure and treatment system. We recommend containerized collection of human waste in dry bucket toilets that are managed in aerobic compost piles or contained in curbside bins for collection at the household or block level. In rural areas where space is available and soils allow, latrines and trenches can be dug. But if it’s too dense for septic tanks it’s too dense for unlined pit latrines. Many of the cities in the Northwest, like Portland are based in clay soils in areas with high water tables.

But what does it look like to contain and treat your waste for a year? Mathew Lipponcott and Molly Danielsson of The Cloacina Project & PHLUSH will share brilliantly simple and effective ideas to assure safe and hygienic sanitation after a disaster. These plans can be used in your apartment or home, for an entire building, or a business location. Make sure to check out our 24 page illustrated guide on emergency sanitation entitled a Sewer Catastrophe Companion.

Shawn Shafner’s one man show called ‘EAT SHIT:How our waste can save the world’ has been accepted to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. I am thrilled that the discussion of how to get the discussion going about using our shit to nourish ourselves is getting center stage.

They’re crowdfunding their expenses and it’s a great cause to support. Check it out.